172 reserves newly visible on our maps

The Outdoor Access Commission has been working closely with the Department of Conservation (DOC) over the past year to answer a tricky question: which of the Government Purpose Reserves that DOC manages allow public access?

Unlike recreation or scenic reserves, Government Purpose Reserves do not have an automatic right of entry under the Reserves Act. Access depends on whether it’s compatible with the specific purpose for which the reserve was set aside, whether that’s protecting wildlife, water supply, or another government function.

This means we have not been able to display on our maps whether these reserves allow public access. Every reserve has different rules.

Region by region, DOC staff have reviewed their reserve records and assessed each individual public access status. And that effort has now paid off: 172 additional DOC-managed Government Purpose Reserves have been added to our maps this year, each one now clearly marked as having public access. For walkers, photographers, birdwatchers and anyone else planning a trip outdoors, that means dozens of places that simply did not show up as accessible before are now there — no more guesswork, no more assuming a reserve is off-limits.

Someof the newly confirmed reserves show just how varied this land is.

In Christchurch, Godley Head — long valued locally for walking, mountain biking and its dramatic coastal scenery above the harbour entrance — is now formally shown as open, a welcome confirmation for a spot already popular with locals.

In the Waikato, Kopuatai Wetland and its neighbouring wetlands, prized by duck shooters for their peat-dome habitat, are now mapped as accessible, giving duck shooters confidence in a site that’s long been part of the regional hunting calendar.

Mangawhai Wildlife Refuge Reserve and Matata Wildlife Refuge Reserve are both coastal spits that support nesting birds and other marine wildlife — the kind of place a birdwatcher or curious walker might have driven past without knowing whether they could set foot on the land. Having them properly mapped means people can now visit with confidence while remaining mindful that they’re sharing the space with the manu the reserve exists to protect.

This behind-the-scenes data work does not always get noticed, but the payoff is real: 172 pieces of publicly accessible whenua that were hidden are now visible to anyone who opens our maps.

People need to follow any on-site signs about access conditions or stay on the track, as access to these types of reserves is a privilege rather than a right. The access rules help protect the values present on the reserve.

The full list of DOC-managed Government Purpose Reserves on our maps is:

1. Allans Beach Wildlife Management Reserve
2. Ātaahua Government Purpose (wildlife management) reserve
3. Athenree Wildlife Refuge Reserve
4. Awaiti Wildlife Management Reserve
5. Awakino Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
6. Awaroa Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
7. Awaroa/Godley Head Farm Park Reserve
8. Back Creek Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
9. Birchfield/Kuneoteraki Wildlife Management Reserve
10. Black Point Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
11. Boggy Creek Wildlife Management Reserve
12. Buller River Quarantine Reserve
13. Butterfields Wildlife Management Area
14. Cameron Town Government Purpose (General Government) Reserve
15. Canadian Flats Wildlife Management Reserve
16. Cass River Delta Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
17. Coates Memorial Church Reserve
18. Conservation - Waikato Area Office workshop
19. Coopers Lagoon/Muriwai Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
20. Corner Knob And Goldney Hill Government Purpose Reserve
21. Coutts Island Wildlife Sanctuary
22. Cowan Wildlife Refuge (Reserve)
23. Diamond Lake & Lake Reid Wildlife Management Reserve
24. Eden Creek Wildlife Management Area
25. Estuary Wildlife Management Reserve
26. Flax Block Wildlife Management Reserve
27. Glendhu Wetland Reserve
28. Glenorchy Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
29. Government Purpose - Education Wainui Reserve
30. Government Purpose - Esplanade - Ōpōtiki Bay
31. Government purpose (wildlife management) reserve - Katiki Point (DOC)
32. Government Purpose Reserve - Acclimatisation Society - Landsborough River
33. Government Purpose Reserve - Esplanade - D'Urville
34. Government Purpose Reserve - General Government Reserve - Bruce Bay
35. Government Purpose Reserve - General Government Reserve - Russell Street - Okarito
36. Government Purpose Reserve - General Government Reserve - Victoria Street - Okarito
37. Government Purpose Reserve - Government Buildings - Rapahoe - Statham Street
38. Government Purpose Reserve - Government Buildings - Stockton - Old Post Office Site
39. Government Purpose Reserve - Hospital - Okarito
40. Government Purpose Reserve - Mārahau
41. Government Purpose Reserve - School of Mines
42. Government Purpose Reserve - SH 33
43. Government Purpose Reserve - Signal Station Site K
44. Government Purpose Reserve - Top Valley Wildlife
45. Government Purpose Reserve - Waiotapu
46. Government Purpose Reserve - Wildlife Management - Jones Creek
47. Government Purpose Reserve - Wildlife Management - Lake Haupiri
48. Government Purpose Reserve (General Government), Arthur St, Okarito
49. Government Purpose Reserve Land Amberley Beach
50. Government Purpose Reserve Rakaia Riverbed
51. Harts Creek Wildlife Management Reserve
52. Hawksbury Lagoon Wildlife Refuge Government Purpose Reserve
53. Hewlett Point Sand Islands Government Purpose Reserve
54. Horokiri Wildlife Reserve
55. Hurrells Lake Wildlife Refuge Reserve
56. Ihupuku Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
57. Jobsons Swamp Wildlife Reserve
58. Kinvara Track (Access to Rock & Pillar Cons Area)
59. Kongahu Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
60. Kopuatai Wetland Management Reserve
61. Kowai River Government Purpose Reserve
62. Lake Hakanoa Wildlife Refuge Reserve
63. Lake Kimihia Wildlife Management Reserve
64. Lake Kohangatera Wildlife Reserve
65. Lake Kohata Wildlife Management Reserve
66. Lake Koromatua Wildlife Management Reserve
67. Lake Okowhao Wildlife Management Reserve
68. Lake Rotomanuka Wildlife Management Reserve
69. Lake Rotorua Wildlife Reserve - Government Purpose
70. Lake Ruatuna Wildlife Management Reserve
71. Lake Ryan Wildlife Refuge Reserve
72. Lake Serpentine Wildlife Management Reserve
73. Lake Taeore Wildlife Management Reserve
74. Lake Tamurenui Wildlife Management Reserve
75. Lake Waiau Wildlife Management Reserve
76. Lake Waipori Wildlife Management Reserve
77. Lake Whangape Wildlife Management Reserve
78. Lakeside Wildlife Management Reserve
79. Lees Valley School Reserve
80. Light House Reserve - Burgess Island
81. Lower Kaituna Wildlife Management Reserve
82. Lower Pari Reserve
83. Mahoe Growth and Preservation of Timber Reserve
84. Mailbox Inlet Government Purpose (Wildlife Management) Reserve
85. Maketu Wildlife Management Reserve
86. Mangaehu Growth and Preservation of Timber Reserve
87. Mangahinau Esplanade Reserve
88. Manganui River Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
89. Mangawhai Government Purpose Wildlife Refuge Reserve
90. Mangonuiowae Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
91. Manukapua Government Purpose (Wildlife Management) Reserve
92. Mapara Wildlife Management Reserve
93. Marangae Growth & Preservation of Timber Reserve
94. Marsden Spit Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
95. Matakitaki Wetland Reserve
96. Matapouri Estuary Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
97. Matata Wildlife Refuge Reserve
98. Matauwhi Bay Government Purpose Reserve
99. McKays Triangle Wildlife Management Reserve
100. Medlands Wildlife Management Reserve
101. Meyer Block Wildlife Refuge Reserve
102. Miranda Taramaire Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management Reserve
103. Mumu Creek Wetland Wildlife Management Reserve
104. Muri Reserve
105. Neiman Creek Wildlife Reserve
106. Ngunguru Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
107. Nile River Wharf Reserve
108. Nugget Point Lighthouse Reserve
109. Oamaru Stream 3
110. Ōhope Spit Wildlife Refuge Reserve
111. Okarito Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
112. Okorero - Thornton Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve (part)
113. Old Kaituna Riverbed Wildlife Management Reserve
114. Olympic Park
115. Omamari Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
116. Omatai Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
117. Opuatia Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
118. Otaika Valley Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
119. Otoki Wildlife Reserve - Te Rohe o Te Wairoa Giftback
120. Ōtukaikino Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
121. Otumatu Rocks Wildlife Sanctuary
122. Paranui Stream Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
123. Paroa Wildlife Management Reserve
124. Patersons Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
125. Patetonga Lake Wildlife Management Reserve
126. Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve
127. Paynes Gully Wildlife Management Reserve
128. Pitangi Track Government Purpose Reserve
129. Pohatu Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Refuge
130. Provincial Government Purpose Reserve Rakaia
131. Punahaere Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
132. Putikituna Growth & Preservation of Timber Reserve
133. Queenstown Gardens
134. Rangituhi Park
135. Remarkables Skifield Access Road
136. Roto Growth & Preservation of Timber Reserve
137. Rotokino Wildlife Management Reserve
138. Rotopapa Wildlife Management Reserve
139. Rotowaro Wildlife Management Reserve
140. Saltwater Creek South Street
141. Selwyn Wildlife Management Reserve
142. Serpentine Wildlife Management Reserve
143. SH 33 Segregation Strip
144. Shearers Swamp Wildlife Management Reserve
145. Sulphur Point Wildlife Sanctuary
146. Takahoa Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
147. Te Wahapū o Te Hopuni Wildlife Management Reserve
148. Tokoroa Main Rd Segregation Strip
149. Tomahawk Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
150. Torehape Wetland Management Reserve
151. Totara Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
152. Tuckers Beach Wildlife Management Reserve
153. Tutaekuri Climatic Reserve
154. Waemaro Wildlife Management Reserve
155. Waihi Estuary Wildlife Management Reserve
156. Waikato River Islands Wildlife Management Reserve
157. Waikite Wildlife Management Reserve
158. Waipori/Waihola Wildlife Management Reserve
159. Waipu Government Purpose Wildlife Refuge Reserve
160. Wairau Lagoons Wetland Management Reserve
161. Wairua River Government Purpose Wildlife Management Reserve
162. Waitohi River Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
163. Wards Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
164. Washdyke Lagoon Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
165. Whakapuaka Raupo Swamp
166. Whangakopikopiko (Wildlife Refuge) Reserve
167. Whangamarino Government Purpose Reserve
168. Whangamarino Wetland Management Reserve
169. White Heron Lagoon Wildlife Management Reserve
170. Wildlife Management Reserve (Whanganui Inlet)
171. Williams Government Purpose Reserve Wildlife Management
172. Yarrs Flat Wildlife Reserve